Jack Wilshere takes his Luton Town side to Stamford Bridge for an EFL Cup second-round clash against Chelsea on Thursday night.

Xabi Alonso’s reign as Chelsea manager began with a thrilling 3-2 victory against West London rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage on Monday night. The Blues registered their first win in their opening Premier League match of a new season since 2022/23, with Cole Palmer grabbing the headlines thanks to an eye-catching display that included a goal and an assist.

Joao Pedro and club-record si-gning Morgan Rogers were also on the scoresheet, much to the delight of Alonso. With the Premier League campaign off to a winning start, attention now turns to the EFL Cup, a competition where they reached the semifinal of the competition last season, losing 4-2 to Arsenal over two legs.

Thursday’s contest represents Chelsea’s third-ever EFL Cup second-round tie in the 21st century, a result of their 10th-placed finish in the Premier League last term. However, heading into this clash with Luton Town, the Blues are the overwhelming favourites to progress to the third round.

After ending the 2025/26 season in positive fashion with a 12-game unbeaten run across all competitions, Luton have since posted two wins and one draw in their first three matches of the new season. The Hatters produced a remarkable second-half comeback to beat Reading 4-3 on the opening weekend in League One, before settling for a 2-2 home draw with newly-promoted Notts County last Saturday.

Jack Wilshere’s side now head into Thursday’s clash with Chelsea having progressed from three of their last four EFL Cup second-round ties. However, upsetting a Premier League heavyweight on their own turf is a much taller order for the Hatters.

Not only have Luton lost their last five meetings with Chelsea in all tournaments, but they have also failed to win any of their last six competitive visits to Stamford Bridge. Their most recent game there ended in a 3–0 loss in the top flight in August 2023.

Team News & Tactics

Chelsea

Xabi Alonso will use the second-round EFL Cup clash as an opportunity to add minutes to the legs of his fringe players, especially given the size of the squad at his disposal. Cole Palmer and the rest of the big names could be afforded a full rest ahead of this clash with Luton Town.

Jordan Henderson (wrist) and Emmanuel Emegha (hamstring) remain sidelined, while Moises Caicedo, Marco Palestra, and Aaron Anselmino will all be assessed after missing the win over Fulham.

Alonso is expected to ring the changes and could hand out several full debuts to players including striker Danny Welbeck, midfielder Valentin Barco, left-back Pep Chavarria, and goalkeeper Mike Penders, who will hope to replace Robert Sanchez following his unconvincing display at Craven Cottage.

While Geovany Quenda, Estevao Willian, Jamie Gittens and Pedro Neto will all be pushing to start in the final third, it remains unclear whether midfielder Enzo Fernandez will be considered for selection amid continuous speculation over a big-money transfer to Manchester City.

Probable lineup (3-4-3): Penders; Acheampong, Lacroix, Fofana; Palestra, Lavia, Barco, Chavarria; Neto, Estevao; Welbeck

Luton Town

Jack Wilshere will have a few selection decisions to make, owing to a few key absentees from the squad. Jordan Clark sustained a broken jaw and was stretched off in the draw with Notts County before undergoing surgery.

The midfielder will be out for several weeks, while Shaydon Morris is also sidelined with a significant hamstring injury, which will keep him out for a considerable period.

With Shandon Baptiste also injured, either Sverre Sandal or Hakeem Odoffin is likely to earn a recall and play alongside Liam Walsh and Kasey Palmer in central-midfield.

Manchester City loanee Emilio Lawrence will hope to retain his starting spot in the final third, while Marshall, Gideon Kodua, Jerry Yates, and Nahki Wells will all be competing for a place up front.

Probable lineup (4-3-3): Shea; Ashby, Anderson, Johnston, Naismith; Walsh, Odoffin, Palmer; Jones, Marshall, Lawrence

Key Stats

• Chelsea have advanced from 27 of their last 28 EFL Cup ties against teams from outside the top tier, including each of the last 19.
• Chelsea have not won the EFL Cup since 2015.
• Luton Town have lost their last five meetings with Chelsea in all tournaments and have failed to win any of their last six competitive visits to Stamford Bridge.
• Luton Town have been eliminated from eight of their last nine EFL Cup ties against Premier League opponents.

Player to Watch

Estevao

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The Brazilian star is keen to showcase his qualities on the pitch, but the signs of his status in the squad were visible on Monday night against Fulham. Xabi Alonso is expected to prefer the front three of Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro, leaving Estevao as a high-quality bench option.

At the moment, Estevao must show he can put in high-quality performances for the club and fight for his place. These clashes in the EFL Cup are a big platform for the winger, as well as helping Chelsea march on in cup competitions. He has the talent to challenge for a regular place in the squad.

Prediction

Chelsea 3-1 Luton Town

Luton Town will come into this clash as massive underdogs against the Premier League side. Their recent performances against higher-league opposition have been dismal, and that may continue at Stamford Bridge as they could bow out of the EFL Cup early.

Chelsea will be keen to make the cup competitions an important avenue throughout the season to keep their fringe stars fit and also win trophies. While they will enter the upcoming clash with Luton as a serious affair, Xabi Alonso will be more keen to win in style, as Chelsea are expected to put at least three past Luton Town.